FAQS
Yes, you must have a skipper’s ticket or an Australian Boat Licence, if you do not the hire will be terminated, and no refund will be given. Please bring this to your induction along with your driving licence to match.
If you have lost you ticket, please phone 131156 for a replacement, we will accept an email from them as evidence, however just your number will not be accepted.
Hiring a boat is a privilege and not a right, If Shark Bay Boat Hire staff have concerns regarding the competency or experience of the Hirer the booking may be cancelled for the safety of the customer. No refund will be given.
All Hirers must be at least 21 years of age.
Full to Full. (Unleaded) If the boat comes back below full, without prior arrangement, we will charge the receipted pump rate for fuel plus an additional $100.00 service fee. This will be taken out of the held bond.
Yes, we can provide children life jacket, but if you have your own please bring them with you. We may have limited supplies during school holidays.
We take booking 8 months in advance only.
- Bamba zonkie – 3 day minimum booking period all year round.
- Bulawayo – 3 day minimum booking during peak periods and school holidays.
- Malo, Polly and Bay-bee – 2 day minimum booking during school holidays.
Please note if you would like a single day hire, we encourage you to contact us a week prior to your preferred date and if we have availability for single days we will book you in.
Please note an extra charge of $25.00 will apply for drop off and pickups on public holidays on all vessels.
Absolutely we love dogs on boats, just make sure you send us a picture at the end.
Unfortunately dogs are not allowed on Polly due to the inbuilt carpet.
No, Shark Bay Boat Hire deals directly with each customer upon confirmation of a booking.
Fishing Roads – $25.00 per rod per day
Mooring Equipment – $50.00 per hire
Additional Esky – $20.00 per day
No unfortunately we only offer a dry hire.
Dry Hire:
Please be aware this is a Dry Hire Service, we do not make any guarantee that you are going to catch a fish. We will do everything we can to point you in the right direction and provide a GPS with marks put in by other users who have been successful. If you don’t catch fish, there is still an amazing marine environment to enjoy that is hardly equalled on Earth. If you feel you need the guarantee of fish, please book on with a local fishing charter.
Families:
We encourage families to use our boat to see the magic Shark Bay has to offer, a day on the water can open your eyes to all this wonderful wild life we have to offer here as well as breath taking coastal lines.
As the hirer it is your responsibility to follow all marine legislation, both State and Federal. You are to comply with all directions from Public Officers. You are responsible for any fines or infringements incurred during your hire period.
Payment & Cancelation Policy
Please take out the necessaries travel insurance when booking your holiday, as there is no change in our cancelation policy due to covid-19 travel restrictions implemented by state governments.
Yes, No hire is secure without a 50% deposit paid. Single day hires need to be paid in full.
- We accept Visa or Master Credit cards over the phone during WA office hours.
- A Direct Deposit into our account is also encouraged if familiar with Australia Internet banking OR International banking (Fees apply for an international bank transfer).
- You can ‘PAY NOW” on your invoice, please note a 2.9% surcharge applies for this service.
- A customer can also email credit card details over an email; however, this is not encouraged.
- Cancellations under 30 days prior to pick up attract non-refundable 100% of the deposit.
- Cancellations 30+ days prior to pick up – 50% of the deposit will be refunded.
- If cancelled on the day of pick up or no show, the customer is liable for the balance due of hire.
- Changes to hire dates are subject to availability.
- If a hire is altered twice, then cancelled, no deposit is refunded.
- If your bond is not approved on collect of the hire boat, you will still be charged the full hire amount.
If you have booked the boat and are concerned about the weather please let us know, Shark Bay is a wonderful part of the world and one of the many privileges we have is if one gulf of the bay is forecast to be windy the chances are the other gulf will be magic. If a named Cyclone or Tropical Low Pressure System is within 48 Hours of reaching Shark Bay Waters all hires will be cancelled and refunds given.
No, once the hire has commenced there is no refund for earlier drop off.
- The balance is due upon pick up of your vessel, unless you wish to pay off in advance
- No hire will commence without full payment being made
Bamba Zonkies bond is $3000
Bulawayo bond is $1500
Bay-Bee’s is $500
This will be pre-authorised from your credit card on the day of hire, failure to provide a bond will result in hire period being cancelled with no refund. No cash bonds will be accepted. SBBH will return the bond electronically on completion of a detailed inspection of the vessel, SBBH has 7 days to return your bond to you and inform you of any damage occurred.
Although this is the amount of the bond, if damage occurred you can be up for repairs of $1500 excess.
- Your Bond amount is a pre-authorisation though our merchant facility at pick up via a visa or master credit card then held for up to 7 days after drop off.
- Your bond will be pre-authorised at the start of your hire , if for any reason this is declined please note the hire will not commence and no refund will be given.
- Customers will be notified of any deductions taken from this via email, SBBH has 7 days to do this.
- The credit card holder must be present at vessel collection.
- The Skipper and credit card holder is jointly/soley liable for any damage to the vessel .
- Shark Bay Boat hire will not be held responsible for any overdraft fees based on this policy. Please check with your bank for more information.
Please note: even though a pre-authorisation is not an actual charge, it will temporarily reduce the available balance on your payment card.
Damage and mechanical issues happen.
Damage and Mechanical faults need to be reported during the day they occur. If you fail to report any damage and continue to operate the vessel, the Hirer will be considered responsible for negligent damage as you did not give SBBH the chance to resolve the issue, potentially making any problem worse.
If unfortunately a fault that is not of your doing occurs, a replacement boat will be offered for the remainder of your hire period.
During busy periods sometimes vessels will need short notice maintenance, if this occurs you will be offered another boat for your hire period.
- Public Holiday Pick-up: $25.00
- Public Holiday Drop off: $25.00
- Excess hours: $50.00 per extra hour used (all boats due back at 5.00pm)
- Fuel: Pump price plus $100.00 service fee
- Extra cleaning charges: $100.00/hour (only if vessel is not up to standard upon drop off)
- Key recovery: $1000
- Damage
What if I have booked multiple days, but then changed my mind and want less days at time of pick up?
No change to the hire window can occur within 30 days prior to the hire period, therefore you will be liable for the full hire period invoiced at the time of booking and full payment will be required.
If you as the customer do not accept these terms, the hire will be cancelled, and the deposit will be lost.
- Credit notes are only ever offered at SBBH’s discretion, if you have a credit note these terms apply.
- Your credit note is only valid for 12 months from the date it is issued. The hire must commence in the 12-month time frame, not just booked.
- If the hire is cancelled a second time the credit note is losses entirely.
- No credit note will be accepted during school holidays.
- Your credit note can only count toward one booking, if your new booking is less than the original credit note then the remaining will be lost.
- Your credit note can not be transfer to other parties.
Driving Limits
Each vessel has a daily allowance of 8 hours engine run time per day included in the hire rate, additional engine hours will be charged at $100 each.
No unfortunately you are not permitted to drive from Dusk until Dawn.
Please get in touch and speak to us about where you plan on taking the Vessel and we will advise you which one would be best suited and where you can and can’t go.
| Vessel | Denham | Monkey Mia | Steep Point | Dirk Hartog | Nanga |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bamba Zonkie | Yes | Yes | By Water Only | By Water Only | By Water Only |
| Bulawayo | Yes | Yes | By Water Only | By Water Only | By Water Only |
| Malo | Yes | Yes | By Water Only | By Water Only | By Water Only |
| Polly | Yes | Yes | By Water Only | By Water Only | Yes |
| Bay – Bee | Yes 2nm | Yes 2nm | No | No | Towed Only |
Steep Point, Dirk Hartog Island and Cape Peron: These are all home to some of the best fishing in WA, we have a mooring available for you to set up camp so the boat is safe. These Expedition Style hire periods will only be confirmed once the Skipper has demonstrated proficiency to SBBH management.
At no time is the boat trailer to be left unattached from a vehicle in a boat ramp car park or on a public area. If a trailer is reported unattached by the Shire Ranger or any Government Representative $250.00 will be deducted from the bond to cover fines and related administration costs.
If you have booked the boat and are concerned about the weather please let us know, Shark Bay is a wonderful part of the world and one of the many privileges we have is if one gulf of the bay is forecast to be windy the chances are the other gulf will be magic.
Pick up and Drop off
Pick up –time will be arranged the day before your hire, this will work around other hires, your holiday plans, and our availability to check the boat out to you. No check out the night before is ever a guarantee. Check outs start from 7.00am. If you are late for your check out appointment you may have to wait until all other checkouts are complete, as we will not allow this to impact our other customers. No boat will be check out to anyone who staff believe is intoxicated.
Pick up location – We work from our residential address, for this reason this will be given to you the day before your hire once a time has been arranged and we ask that you come by appointment only or when dropping the boat off. Please respect this is our home and we have young children. No smoking.
Induction – please allow 20 to 45 minutes
Drop off – Please drop the boat off once you are finished, if we are around, we will come say hi. If we are not, we hope you had a great day, any issues please get in touch. The boat must be back on the drive by 5.00pm unless approved otherwise. Late fees apply.
You must have an appropriate vehicle to tow the boats, if you come to collect the boat and your vehicle is incapable your hire will be cancelled, and no refund will be given. For Bambie, Bulawayo, Malo and Polly you must have a genuine 4WD capable of utilising local boat ramps.
It is your responsibility to make sure your vehicle is capable for the tow and SBBH will take no responsibility for fines or damage caused.
Denham Launch – $75 (subject to availability)/Monkey Mia Launch $150 (subject to availability)
We do offer a walk on walk off service where you do not have the worry of launching the boat yourself, this comes at an extra charge and is subject to availability. Please state your need this service when booking your hire.
- Denham: $75.00
- Monkey Mia: $150.00
Yes, you are required to return the vessel fully fuelled on drop off. You will be charged the pump price plus a $100.00 service fee if the vessel is not returned fully fuelled.
Please ensure that you have taken any rubbish away, wash down the deck, disposed of any bait, fish, guts and scales. The Boat is to be cleaned as well as possible with the supplied deck wash. SBBH will flush the motors and fresh water wash the boats on return.
Vessels returned in poor condition will attract an additional cleaning charge at the applicable rate of $100.00 per hour for services rendered.
